TheSkySearchers

I currently have 2 Vixen mounts that use the Starbook 10 which when compared to most other mount controllers is like comparing a Lamborghini to my Fiat van.
It seems Vixen is now in the process of making a wifi module to operate the mounts from a phone. Currently only available in Japan.
Some things I do not understand.

Wait, which ones are the Fiat van?

The chinese made ones
Though I still love my Fiat

The phone app will not have the capabilities of the Starbook 10 so I do not understand why a person would buy a high end mount and then cut its functionality down considerably just to control it by phone.

Virtually everybody has a phone that probably rarely leaves their side. Lighter, smaller form factor? Dunno...

Lady Fraktor wrote: ↑Tue Dec 06, 2022 4:49 am The chinese made ones
Though I still love my Fiat

The phone app will not have the capabilities of the Starbook 10 so I do not understand why a person would buy a high end mount and then cut its functionality down considerably just to control it by phone.

"The STAR BOOK TEN contains more than 272,000 celestial objects including approximately 260,000 stars from the SAO catalogue, 109 Messier objects, 7,840 NGC objects and 5,380 IC objects as well as the sun, moon, and planets."

"SkySafari 7 Pro includes over 100 million stars, 3 million galaxies down to 18th magnitude, and 750,000 solar system objects; including every comet and asteroid ever discovered. Plus, state of the art mobile telescope control." And complete Washington Double Star catalog and many obscure DSO catalogs.

How is that cutting functionality down considerably?

Because the Vixen app is only for controlling the mount not for connecting to SkySafari.
The Starbook 10 also does a lot that you cannot do with a standard controller.

Lady Fraktor wrote: ↑Tue Dec 06, 2022 6:31 pm Because the Vixen app is only for controlling the mount not for connecting to SkySafari.
The Starbook 10 also does a lot that you cannot do with a standard controller.

Got it! Maybe once Vixen app reaches US, SkySafari designers will develop support for it? SSp supports majority of WiFi interfaced mounts.

pakarinen wrote: ↑Tue Dec 06, 2022 2:41 pm Virtually everybody has a phone that probably rarely leaves their side. Lighter, smaller form factor? Dunno...

I love my stupid phone, it only makes/ receives phone calls and text messages.

Lady Fraktor wrote: ↑Tue Dec 06, 2022 7:23 pm

pakarinen wrote: ↑Tue Dec 06, 2022 2:41 pm Virtually everybody has a phone that probably rarely leaves their side. Lighter, smaller form factor? Dunno...

I love my stupid phone, it only makes/ receives phone calls and text messages.

Yes, but then you can't read TSS on it.

Bigzmey wrote: ↑Tue Dec 06, 2022 7:29 pm

Lady Fraktor wrote: ↑Tue Dec 06, 2022 7:23 pm

pakarinen wrote: ↑Tue Dec 06, 2022 2:41 pm Virtually everybody has a phone that probably rarely leaves their side. Lighter, smaller form factor? Dunno...

I love my stupid phone, it only makes/ receives phone calls and text messages.

Yes, but then you can't read TSS on it.

Exactly! Besides you would not want to, the phone is the size of a banking card.

Anyways I still do not understand the fascination of a phone/ computer at the mount ruining your dark adaption.

Lady Fraktor wrote: ↑Tue Dec 06, 2022 8:16 pm

Bigzmey wrote: ↑Tue Dec 06, 2022 7:29 pm

Lady Fraktor wrote: ↑Tue Dec 06, 2022 7:23 pm

I love my stupid phone, it only makes/ receives phone calls and text messages.

Yes, but then you can't read TSS on it.

Exactly! Besides you would not want to, the phone is the size of a banking card.

Anyways I still do not understand the fascination of a phone/ computer at the mount ruining your dark adaption.

SkySafari has red light/night mode. It is just much easier to navigate the scope with a good phone app vs hand controller. Consider it a zoomable sky atlas with scope control. You can click on any target on the screen and scopes goes there. It also has the most comprehensive database of sky objects far superior to any HC. Also, no wires!

Well other than having cables you just described the SB10 so still no app/ wifi needed

Lady Fraktor wrote: ↑Tue Dec 06, 2022 8:16 pmAnyways I still do not understand the fascination of a phone/ computer at the mount ruining your dark adaption.

Exactly! This is an issue I have yet to reconcile. It is just so easy to dictate observing notes that it spoils you and you rationalize the degradation of your night vision in order to employ this convenience. It's a downward spiral because when you use your smartphone to dictate notes, the degradation of your night vision makes your notes worse and worse because you see less and less detail.

Help! I'm stuck in a worsening "do" loop!

I use a pocket voice recorder set on the mount, it can run for about 4 hours on a charge.

Here is a typical setup, power pack and HC included.
I am on the left. The Starbook 10 is not much brighter than the Celestron HC.
I also have a case attached to the tripod leg to cover the SB when not in use.

The nicest thing about my Vixen mount is it does not need hand controllers, Wifi nor mobile phone It is the original Polaris.

What is was really missing was a decent RA drive though. So, I came up with an own solution that uses a stepper motor coupled to RA worm by two pulleys and a timing belt. No clutches involved and the cable manual control works together with the drive just fine.

I would really appreciate if Vixen would come with a lightweight modern manual EQ mount with dovetail clamp, setting circles on both axis and an integrated RA drive that would need no clutches. However, the chances we will see such mount are nil I guess.

Lady Fraktor wrote: ↑Tue Dec 06, 2022 7:23 pm I love my stupid phone, it only makes/ receives phone calls and text messages.

It is silly one has to pay premium these days to get a phone that is actually a phone an not a so called smart device.

It would be nice if Vixen re-released the GP or GP-DX again, they still sell some replacement parts for them.

Yes, that would be nice too. I have a Bresser clone but looking to replace it with GP. Not many of the around.

I set my iPhone to toggle the display between red and normal by clicking the home button three times. Still have to mind the brightness setting though.

PeterD wrote: ↑Wed Dec 07, 2022 12:40 pm Yes, that would be nice too. I have a Bresser clone but looking to replace it with GP. Not many of the around.

Look in the used section at APM Telescope, occasionally one will appear.